The High Court has issued an injunction to help Basildon Council deal with unauthorised encampments which could possibly save the town £40,000 per year.

Basildon Council applied for an injunction last month to help prevent unauthorised camps in the town.

They have cost the council more than £40,000 since April 2016, due to cleaning up the fly-tipped waste following the eviction of traveller camps.

There has also been 77 encampments recorded, most of which were located in Basildon’s commercial areas.

30-40 tonnes of regular and human waste was dropped on the patch of green next to St Nicholas Lane back on April 22

Councillor Gavin Callaghan, Basildon Council’s committee chairman for policy and resources, said: “I welcome the decision from the High Court to grant our application for an injunction.

“This sends the clearest message possible to anyone and everyone, that we are committed to dealing with planning illegalities and are doing everything in our power to ensure the full force of the law is used.”

An injunction to protect land from unauthorised encampments helps to prevent these camps and/or protested in a certain area. If the local site is vulnerable, and it may be targeted for camping, councils can apply for an injunction to protect the land.

Basildon Council faced a heft £7000 bill to clear up waste left behind by a group of travellers in St Nicholas Lane in April this year

The council has also seen invasions on publicly owned land in the borough, with recent examples including Rushley Park, and St Nicholas Lane where fly-tipping cost the council thousands of pounds to clear up.

A Basildon Business Group Spokesman added: “The injunction will undoubtedly have a positive impact for business and their staff operating in one of the key business locations in the county.”

The injunction will cover industrial areas including Cranes, Pipps Hill, and Burnt Mills, as well as Rushley Park and St Nicholas Lane.